Valmiki Ramayana - Sundara Kanda in Prose
Sarga 67

Hanuma narrates at length an incident connected with a crow that occurred during the
sojourn of Seetha with Rama at Chitrakuta, which was related by Seetha by way of a token of remembrance.
Seetha then describes her miserable state to Hanuma and requests him to ask Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva
to come to Lanka to destroy Ravana together with his army. Hanuma consoles Seetha, saying that Rama
and Lakshmana would reduce Lanka to ashes and take her back to Ayodhya. When Hanuma further requests
Seetha to give a token of remembrance to be handed over to Rama, she gives him a jewel for the head
as a token.

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Hearing the words of the high-souled Rama, Hanuma reported to Rama, all the words spoken
by Seetha.

"O Rama the foremost of men! Seetha, the princess, spoke a detailed account of an event
which occurred long ago in Mount Chitrakuta, as a token of recollection. Seetha, who slept happily by
your side (at one instance) got up before you. A crow coming down quickly tore her flesh at an area
in the midst of her breasts (with its beak). O Rama! You slept in your turn on
the lap of the princess. That crow again began to torment the princess. Coming near again and again,
it toe her breast severely. Dampened by her blood, you then were awakened by her. O tormentator of enemies!
Though lying happily asleep, you were awakened by Seetha the princess, who was being ceaselessly tormented
by the crow. O long-armed Rama! Seeing her, who was lacerated at the midst of her breasts, you were
enraged like a hissing snake and spoke to her as follows. 'O bashful Seetha! By whom was the middle
of your breasts lacerated with nail-points? Who is playing with an angry five-hooded serpent? Looking
around, you suddenly saw a crow, which perched in front of Seetha, with its sharp nails stained with
blood. That crow, foremost of the birds was indeed the son of Indra the lord of celestials; dwelling
in the middle of the mountains and equal in speed to the wind."

"O great armed Rama, the excellent among the wise! With your eyes rolling with anger,
you then harboured a cruel intention against that crow. Taking a blade of grass from your bed of the
sacred grass, you charged it with the potency of Brahma missile. That flaming blade blazed forth like
the fire of universal dissolution, with its end facing the bird. You hurled that flaming blade of grass
towards the crow. Then that flaming blade of grass for its part followed the crow. Forsaken by all the
celestials, Indra, its father and the sages too, that crow did not find a protector even after going
round all the three worlds (heaven, earth and the lower regions)."

"O destroyer of enemies! Being frightened the crow came to your presence once again and
sough your protection. Though fit to be killed, you on your part, affording shelter, in mercy to the
crow, protected that crow which had fallen flat on the ground. O Rama! Since it is not possible to make
the missile a waste, you destroyed the right eye of the crow."

"O Rama! Then, that crow, having been discharged by you, went back to its own habitation,
after offering salutation to you and to king Dasaratha. Why are you not employing the same type of a
missile on the demons, though you are the foremost among the wielders of missiles, though courageous
and possessed of good disposition?"

"Neither the Nagas the celestials serpents nor even Gandharvas the celestial musicians
nor the demons nor the troop of Maruts the host of gods, nor all of them joined together are capable
of fighting with Rama. If that powerful Rama is eager to save me, let him kill Ravana in battle quickly
with his exceptionally sharp arrows."

"Why even that Lakshmana, the annihilator of adversaries and the foremost of men born
in Raghu dynasty is not saving me, by taking orders from Rama his brother? Wherefore those two competent
brothers Rama and Lakshmana, with their splendour equal to that of air and fire, and excellent among
men, even though they can conquer the celestials, are ignoring me? There is no doubt that I had done
some big impure act, for which reason those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana, who torment the enemies,
even though capable, are not paying attention to me."

Hearing the miserable words of Seetha spoken with tears, I again spoke to that venerable
Seetha the following words:

“‘O Seetha the princess! Rama has grown indifferent because of grief born of separation
from you. I swear it to you truly. Rama, being overwhelmed with grief, Lakshmana too is feeling pain.
You have been discovered somehow. This is not a time to lament. You will see the
end of your sorrows during this very moment'.Those two princes, the foremost
among men and the faultless ones are eager to see you. They can reduce Lanka to ashes. O lady with charming
hips! Killing the terrific Ravana together with his relatives in battle, Rama will certainly take you
to his City of Ayodhya'."

“‘O faultless one! You can give now, a token of recollection, which Rama can recognize
and which can beget happiness to him. Having surveyed all the directions and having untied from the
end of her garment, this excellent jewel which was being strung together in her hair that Seetha gave
it to me. O Rama! Taking that wonderful jewel for your sake from her, and offering my salutation by
bowing my head to that venerable Seetha, I was seized with a haste to come back. Seeing me who was in
a hurry to come back and augmenting my body abundantly, Seetha having a beautiful complexion spoke to
me."

With her eyes filled with tears, looking miserable, with her words ambiguously coming
out of her coked throat, bewildered as she was, at the though of my flying away and afflicted with a
gush of grief; (she spoke to me as follows):

"O Hanuma! Inquire those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana looking like lions, Sugreeva
together with his ministers and all others about their welfare. You ought to clear
up difficulties for that mighty armed Rama, so that he can help me to cross this ocean of sorrow. O
best of heroes among monkeys! Approaching Rama, tell this horrible gush of my grief and the threats
of these female-demons. Have a happy journey! O illustrious princes, the protector of men! The venerable
Seetha filled with sorrow spoke these words to be conveyed to you. Comprehending this matter spoken
by me, believe that Seetha is completely safe."

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Thus completes 67th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the
work of a sage and the oldest epic.